First,
the great engine of growth in America is not the Northeast Megalopolis,
which was growing faster than average in the mid-20th century, or
California, which grew lustily in the succeeding half-century. It is
Texas.

Its population grew 21 percent in the past
decade, from nearly 21 million to more than 25 million. That was more
rapid growth than in any states except for four much smaller ones
(Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Idaho).